Events Galore At Strawberry Festival

By Lindsay R. Mellott

STAFF WRITER

Toddler Contest Winner Kendall Earley This year’s Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Strawberry Festival offered a full menu of fun contests and delicious food, most notably strawberries, Friday and Saturday in downtown McConnellsburg. The annual event took place in and around McConnellsburg Alumni & Friends building and enjoyed two days of just- about- perfect early summer weather .

Here’s a rundown of what took place.

The popular baby / toddler contest MC’d by Kathy Kendall on Saturday awarded Laynee Hendershot top honors in the baby category and Kendall Earley the top toddler spot. Contest prizes were donated by area businesses.

All four county school kindergartens and first grades participated in the festival’s second annual festival coloring contest. Winning entries were submitted by Hannah Schlaefli, first grade, and Chandler Oakman, kindergarten, Fulton County Community Christian School; Quenton Slates, first grade, and Aryana Gibson, kindergarten, Mc- Connellsburg; Kaelonni Lashinsky, first grade, and Carly Skinner, kindergarten, Forbes Road; and Justin Fandl, first grade, and Elias Johnson, Southern Fulton. Hannah Schlaefli took the grand winner award. Coloring contest winners can pick up their prizes at the chamber office.

Lucas Falkosky and Connie Barton Second- placeTalent Contest Winner With all players winning a bit of “bling,” BlingO bingo, new this year, was a hit with festival-goers Saturday afternoon. Jewelry prizes were donated by local retailers, artisans and jewelry company representatives.

And for the noncompetitive types, Friday evening offered up the Mercersburg Community Band in concert and, of course, competing or not, there was the food.